ICAR Awards-2018

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi announces the following ICAR Awards:

1. Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award 2018

In order to recognize outstanding performance by the ICAR institutes, DUs of ICAR, CAU and State Agricultural Universities, three Awards of ₹ 10.00 lakh each, a citation and a plaque will be given to two ICAR Institutes/NRC/Project Directorates National Bureaus (one Large and one small Institute each) and one State Agricultural University/DU/CAU.

In order to recognize outstanding performance of the AICRP and its cooperating centers and to provide incentive for outstanding performance in terms of linkages and research output and its impact, one annual award of ₹ 3.00 lakh (₹ 2.00 lakh for the main coordinating unit and ₹ 1.00 lakh for the best coordinating centre) in cash, a citation and a plaque is to be given to the selected AICRP. All the All India Coordinated Research Projects, which have been in operation for at least 10 years can apply for the award. Forwarding authority may give a clear cut recommendation regarding the most significant achievements made in the AICRP and the best coordinating centre identified for the award.

This award has been instituted to promote healthy competition among Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) at Zonal and National Level for application of science and technology in agriculture. All KVKs are eligible to submit the application for these awards in the prescribed format duly forwarded and authenticated by the competent forwarding authority.

For competition at national level, there is one award having prize money of ₹25.0 lakhs (₹20.00 lakhs for infrastructural development +₹1.0 lakhs for sharing among staff +₹4.0 lakh for training of KVK staff).

At zonal level there are a total of eleven awards: one for each zone of KVKs. Each award consists of ₹2.25 lakh (₹1.50 lakh for purchase of office/farm equipment +₹0.75 lakh for training of KVK staff).

The Directors/ Joint Directors of ICAR institutes/ Vice-chancellors/ Directors of Extension of Agricultural Universities/ Directors of ATARIs may forward the applications in their respective areas of operations. The forwarding authority may give a 1-2-page note on the specific and most significant contributions made by the concerned KVK.

To find a solution for any immediate or long-standing problem, or limitation in agriculture, which is coming in the way of agricultural development and/ or enhancing productivity in any major agricultural, horticultural or animal/fish product, ICAR has instituted a Challenge Award. The award carries a cash prize of ₹10.00 lakh, a citation, in addition to a share in the income generated by ICAR from the commercialization of the technology/ product/ process developed by the scientist while solving any of the given challenges as per ICAR rules and norms. The list of “Challenges” can be obtained either from the Award Cell of ICAR or can be down loaded from ICAR website. Any scientist or group of scientists may, at any time, file a claim of having solved any one of the listed “challenges”.

In order to recognize outstanding research in agricultural and allied sciences & provide incentives for excellence in agricultural research, this award is to be given to agricultural scientists for outstanding contribution in specified areas. A total of four awards are provided under the award. Each award carries a cash prize of ₹ 5.00 lakh in addition to the citation. All Indian scientists engaged in agricultural research and overseas Indian scientists working in the areas relevant to Indian agriculture are eligible for these awards. The applications and the nominations both shall be accepted. The nominations for the award should necessarily be done by the Presidents of Science Academies, Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities or Directors of Institutes. The forwarding/nominating authority may give a precise statement along with their recommendation regarding the most significant contributions made by the concerned scientist.

In order to promote high quality doctoral thesis research in priority/frontier areas of agriculture and allied sciences, ICAR has instituted 18 awards of ₹50,000/-in cash plus a citation and silver medal (gold polished)each to be awarded annually for the outstanding original research work in agriculture and allied sciences. This award is meant exclusively for the doctoral thesis related to agricultural sciences from Indian Universities. The Ph.D. degree/provisional degree for this award must have been awarded during the year preceding the year of the award i.e. 2017. A thesis will be considered only once for this award. Applicant must have evidence of publication of his/ her work in the form of published/ accepted form of at least one good research paper in a reputed journal having NAAS rating of ≥ 6 from the research work done for the Ph.D. thesis.The forwarding authority may give clear cut recommendation highlighting the merit of the research work.

All women scientists engaged in research in agricultural and allied subjects /extension in a recognized institution are eligible for this award. The award consists of ₹1.00 lakh in cash and citation along with provision of equal amount of ₹1.00 lakh for motivating woman scientists and female students across the country including travel within a year of receiving the award. The awards are exclusively meant for individual women scientists. The forwarding authority may give clear cut recommendation highlighting the most significant achievements made by the Scientist.

8.Vasantrao Naik Award for Outstanding Research Application in Dry Land Farming Systems 2018

In order to promote outstanding research and application in priority aspects of dry land farming systems & water conservation, an Annual Award of ₹1.00 lakh is to be awarded to an outstanding scientist or extension worker. All agricultural and allied scientists engaged in research/ technology application work in dry land farming in India are eligible for the award. The award is also open to small inter disciplinary team of the scientists comprising up to six scientists/ team of scientists. The forwarding authority may give clear cut recommendation highlighting the most significant achievements made by the scientists/ team of scientists.

In order to provide recognition to outstanding teachers and to promote quality teaching in the field of Agriculture, four outstanding teacher awards are given annually. Each award consists of ₹1.00 lakh in cash + travel grant of ₹1.00 lakh to promote innovation in teaching. The applications through proper channel in respect of the eligible teachers are invited from SAUs, CAUs and DUs. The forwarding authority may give clear cut recommendation highlighting the most significant contributions made by the concerned teacher.

In order to recognize the talented young scientists who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their research programmes, four individual awards are to be given annually. An individual award of ₹1.00 lakh in cash and a citation and a challenge project for three years with budgetary provision of₹10.00 lakh per year+ ₹ 5.00 lakh for foreign training (upto 3 months), if deemed necessary by the ICAR. The challenge project and foreign training will be administered/monitored by Division of Agricultural Education of ICAR. All young scientists who possess a doctoral degree and are below forty years of age (on 31st Dec.2017) and hold a regular teaching, research, extension education job in the ICAR-SAU system of institutions and engaged in research in agricultural and allied sciences for at least five years continuously are eligible for consideration. The forwarding authority may give clear cut recommendation regarding the most significant contributions made by the concerned scientist.

The award is exclusively meant for individual extension scientist/teacher for excellence in agricultural extension methodology and education work. Two individual awards have been provided. An individual award would consist of ₹1.00 lakh in cash and a citation. Two awards have been assigned across the disciplines in agriculture & allied sciences. Applications must be submitted in the recommended format and should be duly authenticated and forwarded by the competent forwarding authority.

12. NASI-ICAR Award for Innovation and Research on Farm Implements -2018

In order to reduce drudgery of farm women by development of farm implements and to encourage researchers and innovators to develop farm implements for farm women, ICAR and NASI have instituted the NASI-ICAR Award for Innovation and Research on Farm Implements. The award consists of ₹1.00 lakh in cash, citation and certificate. The award is annual in nature. All Scientists/Engineers/ Innovators engaged in research in agricultural farm implements are eligible. Applications must be submitted in the recommended format and should be duly authenticated and forwarded by the competent forwarding authority. The forwarding authority may give clear cut recommendation highlighting the novelty/ innovation involved in the product/ process developed by the concerned scientist/ team of scientists.

The award is primarily meant for any person or team (with two or three associates, if any) engaged in applied research and its applications in tribal areas of the country aimed at improving the biological resources and livelihoods or in original work directly applicable to tribal farming system. Two awards each with the value of ₹1.00lakh in cash and citation + provision of equal amount for study on related subject in geographical area of work for a year. The forwarding authority may give clear cut recommendation regarding the most significant contributions made by the concerned scientist/ team of scientists.

These awards recognize to authors of original Hindi Technical books in agriculture and allied sciences & incentivize Indian writers to write original standard works in agricultural and allied sciences in Hindi. The award is meant for individuals as well as teams of authors. An individual award consists of ₹1.00 lakh in cash and a citation. There are four awards, one each in the Crop / Horticultural Sciences; NRM / Agricultural Engineering, Animal / Fisheries Sciences and Social Sciences. All original Hindi technical books in the designated subject areas of agriculture and allied sciences written by Indian authors, including editedor multi-author books in which the editor(s)/authors also have himself/themselves contributed substantially, are eligible. The author (s)/editor(s) must have had a substantial and active involvement in the relevant field of agriculture and allied sciences. The publication must be free from any infringement of copy rights. The publication must have been written and published during preceding year of the award (2017).The forwarding authority may give clear cut recommendation on the originality and technical quality of the publication.

In order to recognize the outstanding research on long term problem in agricultural and allied sciences, four individual awards have been instituted. Each individual award carries a cash prize of ₹1.00 lakh in addition to a citation. All scientists engaged in research in the field of Crop/Horticultural sciences, Resource Management/Agricultural Engineering, Animal/ Fisheries sciences and Social Sciences in India are eligible for the award. The award is open to individual scientists as well as team of scientists.

16. Nanaji DeshmukhICAR Award for Outstanding Interdisciplinary Team Research in Agricultural and Allied Sciences 2018

In order to recognize, encourage and promote the understanding that practical and useful research would normally have to be interdisciplinary in approach, the ICAR has constituted the Nanaji DeshmukhICAR Award for Outstanding Interdisciplinary Team Research in Agricultural and Allied Sciences. The award is annual in nature. All agricultural scientists engaged in interdisciplinary team research in India in the specified subject areas are eligible. The team must have scientist-level representation from a minimum of three well-recognized disciplines and may also have technical officers (T6 and above). They must have been working on an integrated research project dealing with an inherently interdisciplinary problem in a system based, problem solving mode. The final phase of the research work including its field validation must have been completed during the five years preceding the year of the award. Each member of the team must have remained its active member continuously for at least three years preceding the year of the award. Documentary evidence should be provided that the project has been running/ has run continuously for at least five years at that time of submission of the application. The award is not limited to NARS i.e. Agricultural Scientists outside NARS are also eligible if they meet the eligibility criteria as mentioned above. Two awards (1. Crop Science & Horticulture, 2.NRM & Agricultural Engineering) would be given during the year. The awards in the remaining two categories will be given next year. Each award would be of ₹5,00,000/- (Rupees Five Lakhs only). Not more than one award will be given in any discipline.

17.Chaudhary Charan Singh Award for Excellence in Journalism in Agricultural Research and Development 2017

Six annual awards carrying cash award of₹1,00,000/- (One Lakh only) and a certificate are to be given to journalists for Print Media [Hindi Journalism/ English Journalism/ Journalism in Regional languages (four awards)] and Electronic media (two awards). The contribution made by the journalists shall be judged on the basis of the articles/success stories on agriculture and allied areas published in Hindi/English/ Regional languages Newspapers / Magazines /Journals / electronic media in India during the preceding three years. The applications shall be submitted in the proper format only and shall be submitted through proper channel and authenticated by their competent supervising authority.

In order to recognize the outstanding contributions of innovative farmers for initiatives in development adoption, modification and dissemination of improved technology and practices for increased income with sustainability, following national and zonal awards are announced:

(i) National:One annual national award of ₹ 1.00 lakh each in any of the areas of agriculture and allied sciences + equal amount of travel grants across the country to promote his achievement are to be given to farmers at national level.

Agricultural Production Commissioners / Secretaries / Directors of Agril. / Hort. /A.H. / Fisheries / Sericulture, Vice-Chancellors of Agricultural Universities / Directors of ICAR Institute will identify and nominate the farmers in their areas of jurisdiction and forward the authentic information to the Council.

(ii)Zonal: Eleven annual awards of ₹ 0.50 lakh each + equal amount of travel grants to promote his/ her achievement and motivate farmers in his/ her perspective zone. All the KVKs in the country are divided zone wise. There are eight zones in the country and each zone is headed by Zonal Project Director. The geographical area of each zone is given in the guidelines of award.

Agricultural Production Commissioners / Secretaries / Directors of Agril. / Hort / A.H. / Fisheries / Sericulture, Vice-Chancellors of agricultural universities/ Directors/ Joint Directors of ICAR Institutes and Directors of ATARIs /NGOs, shall identify and nominate the farmers in their respective areas of jurisdiction and forward the authenticated nomination form to the Council. Nominating authority may put on record a clear cut recommendation highlighting the contributions made by the nominee and giving full justification for the nomination.

In order to recognize outstanding contribution of innovative farmers for diversified agriculture, one annual award of ₹ 1.00lakh in any of the areas of Diversified Agriculture is given by ICAR.

Agricultural Production Commissioners / Secretaries/ Directors of Agril. / Hort./ A.H. / Fisheries/ Sericulture Vice-Chancellors of AUs/ Directors of ICAR Institute / Zonal Directors of KVKs / NGOs, other organizations connected with plant and animal sciences will identify and nominate the farmers in their area of jurisdiction and forward the nomination after proper authentication to the Council. All farmers selected for National/ Zonal Award and meeting the criteria of this award are also eligible. Nominating authority may put on record a clear cut recommendation highlighting the contributions made by the nominee and giving full justification for the nomination.

In order to recognize the contributions of marginal, small and landless farmers for developing sustainable integrated models of farming, the ICAR has instituted Pandit Deen DayalUpadhyay Antyodaya Krishi Puruskar(National & Zonal) annually.For National level thereis one award comprising of₹1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) and Award Certificate to be given annually. At zonal level there are total eleven awards: one for each zone of ATARIs comprising of ₹50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only).Nominating authority may put on record a clear cut recommendation highlighting the contributions made by the nominee and giving full justification for the nomination.

In order to recognize outstanding contribution of organic farmers ICAR has instituted an award

Titled Haldhar Organic Farmer Award.The award consists of ₹1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only).The award is annual in nature. Any organic certified farmer/ grower in organic farming and related activities in the area of field crop/ horticultural crops/ medicinal crops/ milk products etc., with an experience of 5 years in organic farming including certification period is eligible. Applications must be submitted in the recommended format and should be duly authenticated and forwarded by the competent forwarding authority.

Cash Award Scheme for Administrative/TechnicaI/Supporting category employees of ICAR Research Institutes/NRCs/Bureaus/ZCUs has been instituted by the ICAR in order to recognize the excellence in performance. Three annual awards of ₹51,000/- (Rupees Fifty-OneThousand only) are to be given to the awardees, selected among applications received from the regular employees of ICAR. The forwarding authority may provide a detailed note on the most significant activities made by the employee in his/ her service career.

The prescribed eligibility criteria, the guidelines and the pro-forma for applying for these awards may be downloaded from the ICAR website (www.icar.org.in). The applicants are required to submit their application in PDF format ( in concise form-maximum 20 pages-along with citation in brief highlighting the achievements) on our dedicated ICAR Award e-mail: icar-award2018 [at] gov.in. In addition, three hard copies of the application form may also be submitted. In case of farmer applicants, they may submit three copies of applications duly forwarded and recommended by the appropriate forwarding/ nominating authority. The application(s) with complete documents sent through email, duly forwarded and recommended by the appropriate authority should be sent to Dr. Shiv Prasad Kimothi,Assistant Director General (Coordination), ICAR, Room No. 204A, Krishi Bhawan, Dr.Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi-110001 so as to reach him on or before 31.12.2018. The last date for receiving the hard copy of applications duly forwarded and recommended by the appropriate authority for applicants in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, States/Union Territory in the North Eastern Region, Ladakh Division of J&K State and Sikkim is 15.1.2019. The candidates should also clearly mention their contact details (mobile No. and e-mail) along with Bank Account No., Bank Address, IFSC Code and PAN No and attach a copy of cancelled cheque. The Council will retain the award winning applications/thesis for the record.

Each candidate/team will be judged on the basis of the originality and/or the applied value of the investigations as revealed in the documents submitted by him/her/them. In all matters relating to the award, the decision of the Council shall be final and no correspondence on this account will be entertained.